Fuse and electrical switch blade mounting means

ABSTRACT

The mounting means includes a pair of aligned generally U-shaped spring members, a generally U-shaped mounting member disposed within the spring members, and a generally L-shaped mounting member having one leg dividing the space between the legs of the U-shaped mounting member and the other leg secured to the bight portion of the U-shaped mounting member. A flat switch blade is pivotally mounted on one side of the dividing leg and a flat blade terminal of a fuse is receivable on the other side of the dividing leg of the L-shaped mounting member.

United States Patent (C), 258 (F), 259 (F), 262 (F); 200/166 (E), 170,170 (A) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,287,533 11/1966Rys 200/ 162 1,551,568 9/1925 Johnson 339/262(F) Primary Examiner-BemardA. Gilheany Assistant Examiner-Dewitt M. Morgan Attorneys-Harold .l.Rathbun and Paul J. Rose ABSTRACT: The mounting means includes a pair ofaligned generally U-shaped spring members, a generally U-shaped mountingmember disposed within the spring members, and a generally L-shapedmounting member having one leg dividing the space between the legs ofthe U-shaped mounting member and the other leg secured to the bightportion of the U-shaped mounting member. A flat switch blade ispivotally mounted on one side of the dividing leg and a flat bladeterminal of a fuse is receivable on the other side of the dividing legof the L-shaped mounting member.

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FUSE AND ELECTRICAL SWITCH BLADE MOUNTING MEANS This invention relatesto a fuse and switch blade mounting means for an electrical switch, themounting means including a generally U-shaped mounting member and agenerally L shaped mounting member having a leg dividing the spacebetween the leg portions of the U-shaped mounting member. A switch bladeis pivotally mounted on one side of the dividing leg and a bladeterminal of a fuse is mountable on the other side of the dividing leg ofthe L-shaped mounting member.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one pole portionof a multipole fusible safety switch including a fuse and switch blademounting means constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. I;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line4-4 of FIG. I;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the structure of FIG. I takenalong the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

The drawings illustrate a single pole portion of a multipole fusiblesafety switch similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,047,issued Aug. 29, 1967. A base I0 molded of insulating material issecurable to the rear wall of an enclosure (not shown). Secured to thebase 10 by a pair of screws 12, only one of which is shown in FIG. 4, isa terminal strap 14 which includes a rear platform 14a and a frontplatform 14h joined by a connecting portion I4c (FIG. 3).

A relatively large connector including a stepped body 16 (FIGS. 1 and 3)having a pair of clamping screws/18 threadedly mounted therein issecured to the front platform 14b by a bolt 19 and a nut 20. Further, arelatively small connector including a stepped body 22 having a clampingscrew 24 threadedly mounted therein is secured to the platform 14b by abolt 25 and a nut 26. The two connectors are provided because a singlewire cable large enough to carry the current for which the switch isdesigned would be too stiff and unwieldy. The bolts 19 and 25 are heldcaptive in the platform 14b by a pin 28 disposed in the connectingportion Me, the heads of the bolts being disposed between the pin 28 andthe platform 14b. Further, the bolts I9 and 25 are disposed on oppositesides of the connecting portion 14c and a flat surface on the head ofeach bolt abuts an adjacent surface of the connecting portion 14c toprevent rotation of the bolts.

A stationary contact assembly including a double jaw member 30 (FIGS. 3and 4) and a contact pressure spring member 32 is secured to the rearplatform 14a by a bolt 33 and a nut 34, the head of the bolt 33 beingrecessed within the base It). A hoodlike casing 36 molded of insulatingmaterial is secured on one side to the rear platform 14a by a screw 37(FIG. 3) and on the other side to the base It) by a pair of screws 38(FIGS. I and 3).

Secured within the casing 36 are a pair of complementary support members40 and 41 formed of cold-mold, arcsuppressive insulating material suchas melamine bonded oxides or hydrates of aluminum or magnesium. A pairof screws 42 and 43 and cooperating nuts 44 and 45 secure the member 54,and an anchoring plate 58 into which the screws are threaded to securethe members 52, 54, and 56 to the base I0. A pin 60 is mounted adjacentone end in the member 56 and adjacent the other end in one leg portionof the member 54. A switch blade 62, movable by blade actuating meansnot shown, is pivotally mounted on the pin 60. The end portion of thepin 60 mounted in the one leg portion of the member 54 is larger indiameter than the remainder thereof and is trapped between the switchblade 62 and one leg portion of one of the spring members 52 to preventaxial movement of the pin. A spacer 64 is mounted between the member 56and the one leg portion of the member 54 adjacent the other end of thesemembers from the pin 60. The spacer 64 may have a smaller diameterportion (not shown) projecting into either the member 56 or the member54. Before being secured to the base 10 by the screws 50, the assemblyincluding the members 52, member 54, member 56, anchoring plate 58, pin60, switch blade 62, and spacer 64 is secured together by a pair ofscrews 66 also threaded into the anchoring plate 58.

Another base 68 (FIG. I) molded of insulating material is securable tothe rear wall of the enclosure (not shown) in spaced relationship to thebase 10. Secured to the base 68 is a terminal strap 70 similar to theterminal strap 14 and having connector bodies identical to bodies 16 and22 secured to the front platform thereof. A fuse clip 72 reinforced by aspring member 74 is secured to the rear platform of the terminal 1 strap70. A fuse 76 having blade terminals adjacent opposite 35 jaw member 30and extending rearwardly of the front end support members 40 and 41respectively to opposite sidewalls of the casing 36. In addition, thecasing 36 is provided with a pair of projections 36a and 36b (FIGS. 5and 6) which extend into appropriate recesses respectively in thesupport members 40 and 4ll. Adjacent the front end, the upper wall ofthe casing 36 is provided with a series of vent holes 36c. A pluralityof generally U-shaped metal plates 48 are mounted in spaced relationshipin complementary grooves provided in the support members 40 and 41.

Also secured to the base 10 by a pair of screws 50 (FIG. 4) is acombination fuse and switch blade mounting means including a pair ofaligned generally U-shaped spring members 52 (FIGS. 1 and 2), agenerally U-shaped mounting member 54 disposed within the spring members52, a generally L- shaped mounting member 56 disposed within themounting thereof, where any arc would originate upon separation of theswitch blade 62 from the jaw member 30.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the support members respectivelyinclude portions 40b and 41b which together substantially completelycover the plate 48 nearest the jaw member 30 on the side of the platefacing the jaw member. In addition, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, thesupport members respectively include portions 40c and Me which supportthe plates 48 in spaced relationship and respectively line oppositewalls of the casing 36. The construction and arrangement result in anarc suppressor which can repeatedly withstand interruption of largercurrents than formerly possible with an arc suppressor of similar size.

While the spring members 52 can be replaced by a single spring member aslong as the mounting member 54, the two spring members 52 are preferableto insure good clamping both at the switch blade 62 and at therespective blade .terminal of the fuse 76.

The spring members 52, mounting members 54 and 56, anchoring plate 58,pin 60, switch blade 62, spacer 64, and screws 66 may be readilyassembled before being secured to the base 10 by the screws 50. Further,the screws 66 and anchoring plate 58 maintain good electrical contactbetween the mounting members 54 and 56 despite dimensional changes inthe base 10.

Because the one leg portion of the L-shaped member 56 is the only thingseparating the switch blade 62 from the respective blade terminal of thefuse 76, a saving in width in each pole portion of a multipole switch iseffected, and because the switch blade 62 and the respective bladeterminal of the fuse 76 are disposed adjacent opposite longitudinal endsof the mounting members 54 and 56, the body of the fuse does notinterfere with the normal movement of the switch blade.

Iclaim:

I. A fuse and switch blade mounting means comprising a generallyU-shaped spring member, a generally U-shaped mounting member disposedwithin the spring member, a generally L-shaped mounting member havingone leg portion dividing the space between opposed leg portions of theU- shaped mounting member and the other leg portion secured to the bightportion of the U-shaped mounting member, a mounting pin having oppositeend portions mounted respectively in one leg portion of the U-shapedmounting member and the one leg portion of the L-shaped mounting member,a flat switch blade mounted on an intermediate portion of the mountingpin for edgewise pivotal movement, the mounting pin being disposedadjacent first longitudinal ends of the mounting members, and a spacerdisposed adjacent opposite longitudinal ends of the mounting members inalignment with the switch blade, the space between the one leg portionof the L-shaped mounting member and the other leg portion of theU-shaped mounting member being suitable for reception of a bladeterminal of a fuse.

2. A mounting means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring memberincludes a pair of generally U-shaped spring members disposedrespectively adjacent opposite longitudinal ends of the U-shapedmounting member in embracing relationship therewith.

3. A mounting means as claimed in claim 2 including an anchoring platedisposed on the other leg portion of the L- shaped mounting member, theanchoring plate-having a pair of threaded holes therein, and a pair ofbolts extending respectively through the spring members and extendingthrough the mounting members into threaded engagement with the anchoringplate respectively in the holes thereof.

4. A mounting means as claimed in claim 3 wherein the anchoring plate isprovided with a second pair of threaded holes, and including a secondpair of bolts extending respectively through the spring members andextending through the mounting members into threaded engagement with theanchoring plate respectively in the second pair of holes thereof, thesecond pair of bolts also extending through an insulating base andsecuring the mounting means thereto.

1. A fuse and switch blade mounting means comprising a generallyU-shaped spring member, a generally U-shaped mounting member disposedwithin the spring member, a generally L-shaped mounting member havingone leg portion dividing the space between opposed leg portions of theU-shaped mounting member and the other leg portion secured to the bightportion of the U-shaped mounting member, a mounting pin having oppositeend portions mounted respectively in one leg portion of the U-shapedmounting member and the one leg portion of the L-shaped mounting member,a flat switch blade mounted on an intermediate portion of the mountingpin for edgewise pivotal movement, the mounting pin being disposedadjacent first longitudinal ends of the mounting members, and a spacerdisposed adjacent opposite longitudinal ends of the mounting members inalignment with the switch blade, the space between the one leg portionof the L-shaped mounting member and the other leg portion of theU-shaped mounting member being suitable for reception of a bladeterminal of a fuse.
 2. A mounting means as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe spring member includes a pair of generally U-shaped spring membersdisposed respectively adjacent opposite longitudinal ends of theU-shaped mounting member in embracing relationship therewith.
 3. Amounting means as claimed in claim 2 including an anchoring platedisposed on the other leg portion of the L-shaped mounting member, theanchoring plate having a pair of threaded holes therein, and a pair ofbolts extending respectively through the spring members and extendingthrough the mounting members into threaded engagement with the anchoringplate respectively in the holes thereof.
 4. A mounting means as claimedin claim 3 wherein the anchoring plate is provided with a second pair ofthreaded holes, and including a second pair of bolts extendingrespectively through the spring members and extending through themounting members into threaded engagement with the anchoring platerespectively in the second pair of holes thereof, the second pair ofbolts also extending through an insulating base and securing themounting means thereto.